Defending the Island: A story of Bar Harbor in 1758

by James Otis

  CHAPTER IV.

  AN ATTACK

  When the women and smaller children were inside the dwelling, Marksaid to his companions:

  "It is better to have something in the way of work on hand thanremain idle, and it has come into my mind that we might improve ourcondition if we raised the top of the stockade so that we couldstand on the platforms without being seen by those outside."

  "How would you set about it?" Luke asked, with mild curiosity.

  "A heavy timber might be made fast to the top of the palisade, and,by making loopholes between the upper ends of the logs, we would behidden from view, and at the same time be able to keep watch."

  "Do you count that we should go after logs, taking the chances thatthe enemy will make a landing right away?"

  "I intend to go alone, while you and Susan stand guard. Shout if yousee a single boat putting off from the harbor island, and then I canget inside the enclosure before the enemy will be able to paddleover here."

  Mark did not wait to learn if his companions had any criticism tomake on his proposition, but set off in search of the axe withoutdelay, and the others had no choice but to mount guard.

  He returned with a heavy log.]

  When the lad went through the gate he directed that it be barredbehind him, lest there might be Indians in the thicket, and a fewmoments later it was possible to hear the sound of his sturdy blowsas he felled the trees.

  In less than half an hour he returned with a heavy log that had beensquared on one side, and, after having been given admittance, helaid this on the posts above the platform on which Susan wasstationed. By chopping either side of the uprights, close to thetop, he made V-shaped apertures of sufficient size to admit of amusket-barrel being thrust through, thus forming five or sixloopholes for the sentinel.

  Therefore it was one could remain on the platform without beingexposed to view of the enemy directly in front, and such shelterwould be of great value to the defenders while the attacking partywas a short distance away.

  By means of wooden pins Mark secured the log in place, although notvery firmly, and the three children who were to defend the stockadebelieved their position had been decidedly strengthened by such adevice.

  Another hour was spent in felling trees, fitting the timbers, andputting them in place. Then Mark occupied himself with making acareful examination of every portion of the palisade, after which,he said, with a long-drawn sigh:

  "I can think of nothing else that is likely to improve the defences,and it only remains to wait until the enemy is ready to beginoperations. What has been done aboard the schooner?"

  "Many of the men have gone ashore on the harbor island," Lukereplied. "The sails are furled, and everything snugged down as iffor a long stay."

  "Have you seen the Abenakis?"

  "Two or three of them yet remain aboard the schooner; but the largernumber are on shore."

  Then Mark clambered up on one of the platforms, straining his eyesto learn what the strangers were doing with the hope of being ableto make some guess as to when another attack would be made; but inthis last he was unsuccessful. The men were lounging on the vessel,or ashore, as if their only purpose was to pass the time pleasantly,and utterly heedless as to whether they were seen by those insidethe stockade.

  "Whoever is in command of the Frenchmen will direct the nextassault," Mark said, sufficiently loud to be heard by his companionsat their several posts of duty. "It is known that we count ondefending ourselves, and we may expect to see the entire forcebefore us within the coming ten or twelve hours."

  "What about the powder?" Luke asked.

  "We have none too much; but enough, I believe, if we are careful inmaking every shot count, to last us during two assaults. After that,if we're alive, there'll be a short allowance."

  "A boat is putting off from the schooner, and heading this way,"Susan announced, and the boys gave no further heed as tospeculations regarding the future, for it seemed as if the enemy wasabout to begin operations.

  In a very short time, however, it could be understood that there wasno danger of an immediate attack, for the craft coming shorewardfrom the vessel was a canoe in which were but three men.

  The sentinels were unable to understand the meaning of thismovement. It did not seem probable the enemy counted on boldlyreconnoitering the island, nor was it reasonable to suppose anyattack was to be made with so small a force, and Mark said, inperplexity:

  "I can't make out why they are coming; but we'll be ready forwhatever turn affairs may take."

  "Shall we fire on them if they get too near?" Susan asked.

  "Unless they claim to be friends, which isn't likely, we'll treatthem exactly as we would the Abenakis, if they were bold enough toland in broad day," Mark replied, and, as assurance of hisintentions, he made certain his musket was ready for immediate use.

  The strangers paddled directly toward the spot where were kept theboats of the settlers, beached the canoe, and straightway approachedthe stockade, as friends might have done.

  The three children on guard watched the newcomers curiously, untilthey were within fifty or sixty paces of the gate, and then Markhailed:

  "It will be safer to halt where you are until we understand thereason for this visit," he cried, showing himself above thepalisade, with musket in hand.

  "Are you in command of the stockade?" one of the visitors asked, asall three came to a full stop.

  "Ay, for the time being."

  "How many have you in garrison?" one of the newcomers asked, as headvanced a single pace, to show that he was authorized to act asspokesman for his party.

  "That is for you to find out," Mark replied, with a smile. "You musttake us for simples, if it is in your mind that we will give all theinformation demanded."

  "I did not ask to gain information, for we know exactly the numberof women and children here. I desired that you yourself should stateit in order to the better understand how entirely you are at ourmercy," The man said, and his manner of speech told that he wasFrench.

  "I do not need to repeat it, having seen your force, and knowing myown full well."

  "Then you can understand that when I offer good quarter if yousurrender without resistance, it should do away with any necessityfor a conflict."

  "Are you ready to give the same quarter your people promised atFalmouth, when the defenceless prisoners were murdered by youFrenchmen?" Mark cried, angrily.

  "I give you my word of honor as a soldier, than no one shall beharmed if you surrender this place immediately," the officerreplied, sharply.

  "If I have heard rightly, the Baron de Castine gave the same pledgeat Falmouth, and afterward excused himself by saying that he couldnot restrain the Indian allies," Mark said, stoutly. "Since then itis difficult to believe that French officers have any too muchhonor; otherwise, perhaps, they would not fight side by side withsavages."

  "Do you refuse to surrender?" the visitor asked, angrily.

  "Do you refuse to surrender?"]

  "Ay, that I do, and all here are of the same mind with me. It isbetter to die fighting than be put to the torture by your allies,whom, mayhap, you could not restrain."

  "My force is so large that you will be crushed in a twinkling, and,if you resist, no mercy may be expected. I have come in the effortto save your lives."

  "Why should it be necessary?" Mark asked. "What have we done thatyou strive to take possession of our homes?"

  "That is not a question to be discussed," the officer replied,impatiently. "It is my intention to clear this island of settlers,and I hope at such time to aid you."

  "It is a brave piece of business to wait until our fathers have goneaway, and then come here to fight women and children!" Susan cried,sharply. "Are all French officers so valiant?"

  It was impossible for the visitor to see the speaker; but he knewfrom the voice that the words were uttered by a girl, and his facereddened, as he bit his lip to hold back a retort.

  "I offer you good quarter, and to that pled
ge my word, if you submitat once," he said, after a brief pause. "In case you are so foolishas to dream of holding out against us, much loss of blood mustensue."

  "That is bound to come," Mark replied, gravely. "We are resolved tohold this stockade as long as there is one left alive to fire amusket, and when you succeed in the noble work of murdering womenand children, there will be none left alive for the savages, yourvery good friends, to torture."

  "And that is your last word?" the officer asked, half-turning on hisheel.

  "The last," Mark replied.

  The Frenchman stood irresolutely while one might have counted ten,and then, wheeling about, he marched toward the shore, looking backfrom time to time as if believing the young defenders might repentof having given such an answer.

  "We have shut off all chance of making a bargain with them," Lukesaid, half to himself, and Susan replied, stoutly:

  "It would have shamed me had Mark treated with them! Why should theyoffer us quarter? We have done nothing to warrant their making anattack upon us, and it is well they should hear the truth--that itis nothing less than murder. People don't make war in such a fashionas this!"

  Mark gave no heed to what his companions were saying. His eyes werefixed on the canoe, in which the three men had embarked, and it wasin his mind that when they regained the schooner there would be adecided change in the position of affairs.

  And in this he was not mistaken; within half an hour the boatsbelonging to the schooner, and the canoes of the Indians, wereengaged in transporting the men to the shore of Mount Desert, half amile or more north of the stockade.

  "There's one satisfaction to be had in arousing the Frenchman'stemper," Mark said, grimly, when the work of disembarkation was wellunder way. "We won't need to expect a night attack, and hang aroundin suspense waiting for it, because the assault is to be begun sometime before sunset. We had best get out our supply of ammunition,and warn the others that they will soon be needed."

  It was Susan who went to summon her mother and aunt, and when shereturned, carrying a heavy burden of powder and bullets, it was toreport:

  "The children are to be kept in the house, under charge of Ellen.The others will be here in a minute or two."

  "They can't come any too soon," Luke said, nervously. "The Frenchmenare already marching along the shore, with the Abenakis trailing onbehind."

  Susan was at her post of duty in a twinkling, and, looking outthrough the rough loopholes, she saw no less than twenty white men,ten of whom were armed with muskets, and the others carrying pikes,the head of which glittered in the sun, marching in soldierly arraydown the beach. In their rear slouched nine Indians, and it was safeto assume that the remainder of the red-skinned party had beendisabled during the first assault.

  It was a positive relief to Mark when he saw that the enemy wasintending to march directly upon the stockade, most likely countingon carrying the place by the first assault. If the force had beendivided, so that a portion might attack from the rear at the sametime the others were in front, the task of holding them in checkwould have been well-nigh hopeless.

  Even as it was, with everything in the children's favor, it did notseem possible they could defend themselves against such a force; butMark said, as if believing the chances for success were very good:

  "Remember that we can't afford to waste any bullets. If each of uscould hit the target three times in succession, I warrant you thosevaliant Frenchmen would be eager to gain the shelter of theirvessel. Both of you can strike four squirrels out of five at fiftypaces, and surely you should be able to do as well when the mark isso much larger and moving slowly. Don't shoot until you are certainof hitting your man, and we'll soon see those fellow's backs."

  Mistress Pemberton and Mistress Harding had come to do their sharein the one-sided battle. Both the women looked pale and distressed,as was but natural under the desperate circumstances; but a singleglance at their faces would have told that they believed the onlycourse to be a stout resistance, even though it should cost thelives of all.

  At the shore, directly in front of the stockade, the Indians forceda halt of the white men, by seemingly insisting that some othermethod of procedure be adopted, and during two or three minutes itappeared as if they would carry their point.

  Mark drew a long breath of relief, however, when the officer who haddemanded the surrender pushed his way past the savages with athreatening gesture, as he ordered the men forward again.

  "They are coming straight on in a body," he said, in a low tone."When you are certain of hitting the mark, shoot, and have thesecond musket where it can be got at quickly. If we could get in sixfair shots at the start, it would be a big advantage."

  Each of the children on the platforms had two muskets loaded, andthe women stood ready to take every weapon as soon as it was empty.The ammunition, divided into three portions, was near thesharpshooters, and nothing remained to be done save take part in thelife or death struggle so near at hand.

  Steadily the French marched toward the stockade, evidently intendingto begin the attack near the gate, and it was Susan who fired thefirst shot.

  As the report of her musket rang out, one of the foremost menplunged forward to the ground, and five seconds later Mark broughtanother of the enemy down.

  Luke fired, but failed of doing execution. He seized the secondmusket hurriedly, however, and crippled his foe, thus doing half asmuch as Mark had required.

  "Three down in four shots isn't so bad!" the leader cried,encouragingly, and the words were hardly more than spoken beforeboth he and Susan fired the second time, each of the bullets findingits billet.

  Now it was that the Frenchmen halted without the word of command,and opened fire.

  During three or four minutes it was as if a perfect hail-storm oflead raged around the stockade, but the stout logs afforded goodprotection. Never a missile found its way inside, and the spirits ofthe besieged rose rapidly.

  Acting under Mark's orders, neither Susan nor Luke had attempted tomake reply to the furious shooting, lest a bullet accidentally comethrough one of the loopholes, and when, because their weapons wereempty, the soldiers ceased the aimless firing, the children'smuskets had been recharged.

  "If we can do as well as we did before, those fellows will soon showtheir backs!" Mark cried, cheerily, himself setting the example bywounding the officer.

  Now the bullets came thick and fast during a full minute, and thenthe foremost of the assailants began to fall back, carrying theofficer with them, and an instant later the entire party was in fulland disorderly retreat.

  Three children had actually beaten back twenty white men and nineIndians, without having received a scratch!

  Not until the faint-hearted men were at the water's edge, beyondrange of those in the stockade, was a halt made, and then itappeared as if they were holding a council of war.

  An instant later the entire party was in retreat.]

  The officer was laid in one of the boats, and the soldiers gatheredaround him, the able-bodied gesticulating furiously, and the woundedseated on the sand attending to their injuries. None had been killedoutright, but the majority of those who had been hit would not belikely to take part in another attack, unless it was delayed for aconsiderable time.

  It seemed as if the white men gave but little attention to what theIndians said during this council, for the savages were shoulderedaside with scant ceremony, and after a few moments all the Abenakis,for none had been wounded, stalked gravely southward, where theywere soon lost to view amid the bushes.

  "We're going to have trouble from those fellows, and it won't belong coming," Mark said, as he leaped down from the platform, andran toward that portion of the stockade immediately in the rear ofthe dwellings. "Keep a sharp watch over the Frenchmen, and let meknow what they are doing!"

  Then he began putting up a platform at that point where he couldoverlook the thicket, which last had been allowed to growdangerously near the buildings, and had hardly mounted for thepurpose of making a
hasty survey, when a bullet imbedded itself inone of the posts against which he leaned.

  "What is the matter?" Susan cried.

  "The Abenakis have sneaked around here, where they can shoot whileremaining under cover. Let mother come to load my muskets!"

  The report of Mark's weapon followed the words, and from the thickettwo or three muskets were discharged, thus showing that the entireforce of Indians was lurking amid the underbrush.

  Susan came running toward her cousin, carrying a weapon in eachhand, and the latter asked, sharply:

  "Why have you left your post? The Abenakis won't kick up much of arow until after dark."

  "There is nothing to be done at the other side," Susan replied, asshe set about dragging two or three lobster-pots toward thepalisade. "The Frenchmen are paddling back to the schooner, notleaving one behind, and Luke is watching to see when they leave thevessel again."

  Another bullet from the Thicket whistled uncomfortably near Mark'shead, and he understood that the most dangerous portion of theattack was now to be met, for it was impossible to see a single foe.The swaying of the branches or the tiny curls of smoke, were theonly tokens of an enemy, save when a weapon was discharged.

  "Keep down under cover!" Mark cried, when Susan would have mountedthe collection of lobster-pots. "They are shooting close, and if youshould be disabled we would be in even worse trouble than we arenow."

  "But you are showing them a target."

  "Some one must be here to hold them back."

  "Then I have the same right as you," and the courageous girlclambered up on the shaky platform until it was possible for her tolook over the palisade.

  It was a most dangerous position, and, fearing lest she should bekilled, Mark left his station to chop away the ends of the posts tomake loopholes.

  "Now you can have a view of the woods without showing yourself," hesaid, and would have gone back to his previous position, exposedthough it was, but that she stopped him by asking:

  "Will you do the same at your end of the fence as you have here?"

  "There isn't so much need for me to keep under cover."

  "There is ten times more reason why you should be careful than forme to skulk behind the posts. Unless you hew the timbers at yourstation as you have these, I shall change places with you."

  Mistress Pemberton added her commands to Susan's entreaties, withthe result that Mark was forced to protect himself so far aspossible, but while he chopped at the posts half a dozen bulletsstruck close around the axe, showing that the Indians were on thealert.

  When half an hour had passed neither Mark nor Susan had seen one oftheir enemies. Several times they fired at the places where thebranches were waving as if some person was walking beneath them; butno cry of pain was heard to tell that the bullet had taken effect.

  During this time Luke had reported more than once that the Frenchmenyet remained on board their vessel, and when the sun was sinkingbehind the hills Mark said to his cousin:

  "We're wasting too much powder and lead, Sue. I don't believe one ofour bullets has gone home, and we have sent far too many at random.The Frenchmen are not beaten yet, and we must have plenty ofammunition when they come again."

  "What, then, are we to do?"

  "I will stay here, keeping guard lest the Abenakis attempt to scalethe fence. You and our mothers shall attend to the household duties,holding yourselves in readiness to come whenever I shout."

  "But there is nothing for me to do in the house."

  "Then take advantage of the opportunity to get a little rest, forit is certain that we shall have our hands full during all thisnight. Get supper, if nothing more, and then bring me something todrink."

  "I'll do that first, and then look after myself," Susan said, as shewent toward the house, and a moment later Mark heard from her a cryof distress.

  "What's the matter?" he shouted, wildly, fearing, for the instant,that some of the savages had gained entrance to the dwelling despitehis careful watch.

  "The water! The water!" Susan cried, mournfully, and then came a humof voices raised high in excitement and fear, amid which thesentinel could distinguish no words.

  "Come here, Susan!" Mark shouted, peremptorily, and as the girlappeared he demanded, "Now tell me what has gone wrong?"

  "The children have spilled all the water we took into the house, andthere's not a drop to be had!"

  "But they couldn't have carried the spring away," Mark replied, witha laugh, able to make merry even amid the terrible surroundings, sogreat was his relief at learning that nothing more serious hadcaused the cry which startled him.

  "The sheep have gathered there, until the entire place is a mass offilthy mud."

  "Well, well, don't let that distress you so sorely. We'll soon beable to clear it out, for I reckon these beggarly Abenakis won'tkeep me busy more than twelve hours."

  "But if the Frenchmen should come in the meantime?"

  "We'll take our chances of that, and get along without water alittle while."